Aircraft include flight surfaces (e.g., a wings, stabilizers and control surfaces) and movable control surfaces for directional control in flight. Such control surfaces can include ailerons for roll control, elevators for pitch control, and rudders for yaw control.
In winter conditions flight surfaces and control surfaces may become coated with ice, particularly during layovers on the ground. Present deicing techniques for aircraft include spraying a heated glycol-based solution on the aircraft to clear ice from the flight surfaces and control surfaces and/or exposing the aircraft to infrared (IR) radiation heaters. Such deicing techniques are expensive and time consuming, and contribute to delays in airport efficiency. Accordingly, additional techniques to deice aircraft surfaces may find utility.